Karnataka Congress leader BK Hariprasad has described jailed activist Umar Khalid as a “nationalist” while criticising the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for opposing a proposed documentary screening at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru.
The documentary, which focuses on Umar Khalid and his political activities, was scheduled to be screened at the university. However, the programme was postponed following objections from the ABVP. The student organisation has strongly opposed the screening and has asked the central government to intervene and stop the documentary from being shown on the campus.
The ABVP has argued that the screening could affect peace and harmony at the university. Its members have also raised concerns about how Khalid’s activities and political views are presented in the documentary. The organisation has called for legal steps to prevent the screening from taking place.
Hariprasad, however, criticised the opposition to the event and defended the proposed screening. He described Khalid as a nationalist and questioned the reasons for preventing students from watching and discussing the documentary.
The controversy has created a debate over freedom of expression and political discussions on university campuses. Supporters of the screening believe that students should be allowed to watch documentaries and discuss controversial political figures as part of an open academic environment.
The ABVP, on the other hand, maintains that educational institutions should give greater importance to academics and should avoid activities that could create political tensions or disturb campus peace.
The disagreement has attracted attention because NLSIU is one of India’s leading law universities. The debate is now focused on whether the documentary should be allowed to be screened and how universities should handle politically sensitive events.
For now, the screening remains postponed, while both sides continue to put forward their positions. The final decision could depend on the university administration and any further legal or government action.